Toothbrush



BHCHIRO IZAWA, OF KYOTO, JAPAN.

. TOOTHBBUSB.

To al? ulzomv if may concern Be it known that. I. RIICHIRo IZAWA, a

subjectof the Empire of Japan. residing at No. T Furunishi Machi. Nishidoin-Dori Xishikikoji Agaru. Shimokyo Ku, Kyoto, Japan. have invented new and useful Improvements in Toothbrushes. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tooth brush consisting of a handle so constructed that a finger may be inserted therein. and a brush proper. which is connected with thehandle by a hinge joint,`s0 that the brush part can be bent at the joint. The object of this invention`is to obtain a tooth brush which is adapted to thoroughly clean both the inside and outside of the teeth, but is very simple to handle.

The accompanying drawing shows an example of the construction of my tooth brush, in which Figure 1 is a side view, partly sectional,

Fig. 2. is also a side view illustrating the members bent at its joints;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the first section of the brush proper,

Fig. 4 is a side view of the same section My tooth brush, as shown in the drawy ings. consists of three sections jointed to-4 gether at two places, but the brush proper may be of one section and directly jointed to the handle.

In the drawings. Q 2 are the brush proper` having bristles setin any suitable material, and 3 is the handle. The handle is made hollow for alinger to be thrust thereinto. and is longitudinally incised as at 5 so that it. may firmly fit to various sizes of ngers; or it may be made justlike the handle of a common tooth brush.

The sections 2. 2 and 3 are hinged together by means of pins 4 and 4 in amanner something like a knuckle joint so that the sections 2 and 2l and 3 can be bent to any desired angles.

Specification of Letters Patent.

f Application led J'uly 29, 1920. Serial No. 399,657.A

Patented Feb. 2.2. 1921.

The brush proper may therefore be bent into such a shape as will correspond to the curvature of the row of teeth, and thus every part of the teeth, both -inside and outside, can be thoroughly cleansed.

The joint must' be so constructed that they friction of the contact surface is sulicient to maintain the tooth brush while using it in the shape to which' it is bent. and the outer surface of the same must be smooth. To accomplish these purposes, the construction shown in Figs. 3 to 6 is the preferred one. Y

T o describe it fully. the rear end of the section 2 is semi-spherically hollowed out, forming a socket. 9, and a circular disk-like projection. 8 perforated at the center extends therefrom. The front end 7 of the section 2 is rounded so as to fit the socket 9 and is bifurcated so as to provide a pair of jaws 6 to receive between them the pro- .jection 8. said jaws being perforated to correspond with the perforation ofthe projection 8. If the projection 8 is put in the jaw 6 and a pin. which serves as the pivot, is inserted through the perforations. a joint will be formed which serves my'purposes. The sections thus jointed can be bent to any desired angle. and the friction of the contact surfaces will be suicientto retain the sections in the shape into which they are bent- Moreover, the outer surface of such a joint is smooth. The joint between the section 2 and the handle isthe same as the jointdescribed above.

It is preferable to have the bristles at the free end of the section 2 a little longer than those at other parts.

I claim 1. A tooth brush, comprising a brush member, a second brush member hingedly secured thereto. and a handle member hingedly secured to the second brush member. ,l

2. A tooth brush, comprising a `brush member aiid a handle member, one` of said members being provided at one end thereof with a concavey portion and a perforated projection. the other member. being provided with a pair of jaws adapted to t said vconcave portion and to receivel said projecioo tion, said projection and jaws being pivotally secured together.

v In testimony whereof'I have signed my name to this specification.

Rnonmo i'zAWA. 

